I was the sponsor of both the 2007 and 2008 net metering bills — we were scrambling until 2am to ram through the 2007 version. The 2008 bill was an easier ride, and vastly expanded net-metering — but the Governor actually refused to sign it:
More and better possible sites for a proposed municipal wind turbine in Barrington are among the first blessings to emerge from the Rhode Island General Assembly’s legislation to approve “net metering,” recently signed by Governor Carcieri.
The new law means that Barrington will not be required to locate the windmill approved at Barrington’s financial town meeting in May at the town facility it will supply. Rather, Barrington can put it on the town land it deems most suitable. Net metering means that utilities must let the Town of Barrington deduct from its utility bill the net revenue generated by a renewable-energy source.